


The Orchid

by mischievoustwink



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Loki and Thor Are Not Related, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21766192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mischievoustwink/pseuds/mischievoustwink
Summary: Loki realised that from his own balcony he could see his neighbours’ adjoining terraces quite easily. While his neighbour to the left has apparently decided to use the space as a dumping ground for a collection of dusty exercise gear, to his right was the source of Loki’s allergenic-driven misery.–Loki moves into a new apartment after a hard year and meets his new neighbour.
Relationships: Loki/Thor (Marvel)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 110





	The Orchid

The orchid’s leaves had started drooping already and Loki was only three minutes into unpacking. He set the orchid down on the ugly, frosted glass table that had come with the apartment’s balcony.

He slid a slender hand over the rubbery green skin. Sighed. Definitely not happy in its new home, whereas Loki was still undecided. No neighbours had elected to bother him as of yet – a positive, surely, to his introverted self. But the apartment wasn’t incredible quality. Its walls were dull, there were cracks in the paint and the fridge was tiny. It was nothing like his previous ‘home’ – a manor that his ex-boyfriend, Andre, claimed had been in his family for generations.

Loki took the spray bottle from its perch next to the orchid and gave it a liberal spray. Drops of water slipped over its petals, which still stubbornly drooped.

Sure, the view from the second-floor apartment wasn’t completely horrible. There was a river, a park, even a couple (albeit a straight couple) walking their overly-joyful dog. But the _nerve_ of his therapist to pressure him into an apartment so close to the outdoors. Not only was his pale skin aflame under the sun, but his nose gave a bold twitch. He sniffled, wiped away snot dribbling from one nostril. Repulsive.

 _Being outside in fresh air will do you wonders_ , Natasha had said. _Believe me, you won’t be missing the city for some time_.

And he’d been foolish enough to believe her. Of course, he didn’t have any other options with London rent being so unbelievably out-of-reach.

With a sneeze threatening, Loki returned indoors to inspect his new layout. One bedroom, a dining and kitchen space, and a bathroom cross laundry. It was a small place all in all, but really all the space Loki needed. And, as much as he hated to admit it, it was all he could afford right now.

Loki caught sight of himself in the bathroom mirror as he passed. He was looking positively haggard and was aghast that he had been walking around like that all day. He’d even gone into the local café with those hideous shopping bags under his eyes! Producing a hair tie from his pocket, with a swift motion he pulled his greasey locks into a messy top knot. The cropped sweatshirt and three-quarter leggings will have to do for now.

He spent the day unpacking, mulling over old knickknacks Andre had given him from his global travels (before disposing of them down the trash chute) and ordering his proud collection of books by genre, and then alphabetically.

With Deliveroo on its way and a makeshift bed (made up of a single-sized mattress and an old crocheted blanket he found in a cupboard), Loki was ready to call it a night. He filled a glass with apple juice (his non-alcoholic drink of choice) and stretched his gangly arms over his head, yawning. His phone buzzed across the counter, lit up with two notifications:

  1. His Deliveroo delivery was waiting for him downstairs.
  2. His sponsor, James ‘Bucky’ Barnes, wanted to know how the move was going.



_Oh, it’s going splendidly, James. I’ve gone from a manor in Hampstead Heath, to an apartment on the second floor in the middle of bumfuck-nowhere. I have no social life, no sugar daddy boyfriend and certainly no access to anything that could distract me from my wretched life._

He sent back a curt, ‘fine’, and proceeded downstairs to collect his food.

The apartment was surely just as warm as it was outside, but without the relief of a light, springtime breeze. So, greasy takeout bag in hand, Loki moved himself outdoors, sacrificing his allergies. The sun had begun to go down, the clouds stained light pink and purple, and the joggers were out making their way along the riverside walkway.

Loki plucked an oversized spring roll from the bag and shoved the whole thing into his mouth.

As he chewed, Loki realised that from his own balcony he could see his neighbours’ adjoining terraces quite easily. While his neighbour to the left has apparently decided to use the space as a dumping ground for a collection of dusty exercise gear, to his right was the source of Loki’s allergenic-driven misery.

It had been transformed into somewhat of a nursery, boasting its own herb garden, veggie patch hosted by an old wooden crate, cacti... even sunflowers _for fuck’s sake_. Loki looked back to his own miserable, lone orchid. As if in demonstration of its ill health, a single petal floated down to land in Loki’s green curry. He snarled and flicked it off the balcony edge.

‘Story of my fucking life,’ he muttered.

‘Y’know, orchids are more suited to an indoor climate with strong sunlight. Why don’t you try moving her inside?’

Loki jumped at the sudden voice and flicked his eyes over to the garden next door. A giant of a man – red-cheeked from presumably an afternoon in the sun – with muddy gardening gloves and a ratty straw hat was grinning, leaning on the short concrete fence of his balcony. His massive height alone made Loki’s grip on his glass tightened, but the soft curves of his round belly straining the buttons on his flannel and his golden-yellow hair tied into an unassuming low ponytail gave the man the aura of a big, burly teddy bear.

‘Why don’t you mind your bloody business?’ Loki snapped.

The man chuckled. ‘Just worried about the pretty thing. And she looks like she’s been a fair bit overwatered, too.’

‘I don’t recall asking for gardening advice.’

The neighbour’s smile was still there – pink, plump lips stretched from ear to ear, ears twinkling. As he took his gloves off, his meaty forearms were revealed, one tattooed with what looked like old Norse runes. Loki felt something stir in his belly. ‘Someone’s a little grouchy tonight. Tough day?’

‘Try tough year,’ Loki said as he stuffed another spring roll into his mouth.

‘Oof,’ the man said. ‘Wanna talk about it?’

Loki sighed. Wiped his hands on the serviette. He shook his head, and then shrugged. ‘If I wanted to talk about it I would have answered my annoying sponsor’s seventh attempt at calling me.’ Whoops. Loki winced. ‘Too much information. Sorry.’

The man waved him off, with that same goddamn smile. ‘Well, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry you’re having such a crap time.’

Loki waved him off. ‘Whatever. Let bygones be bygones and all that shit. _Every struggle is a journey_ and I’ll _find the right path_ etcetera etcetera. Rehab is wonderful, I truly recommend.’

‘Oh, I know. It’s a bitch right now, isn’t it? But once you’re past the awkward settling-back-into-normal-life stage, trust me, you won’t look back.’

Now that was interesting. ‘Ah, a fellow man from the clink.’ The man chuckled at this. Loki pretended not to notice this his chest started to feel a little hot. ‘Would it be crude to ask what you were in for?’

If his neighbour was made uncomfortable by the question (which Loki had semi-hoped-for) he covered it up well. His smile was _persistent_ , dammit. ‘Used to have a lot of pent up anger. Not proud of it, but I was getting into more fights than it was worth. Then I lost this guy,’ at this he pointed at his right eye, which Loki now noticed had a slightly dull look to it, ‘and needed to turn my life around.’

Loki nodded.

‘You?’

Loki paused, looking for the right words to summarise to a complete stranger his complete shit-show of a year. ‘Partying too hard, I guess. Had a bad breakup. Didn’t end that well for me.’ He fiddled with his sleeves, pulling them down past his palms.

‘That sucks.’

The bluntness of his reply sent the breath shooting out of Loki’s chest. ‘Yes, well,’ he said. ‘Recovery and all that. I’m fine.’

‘Y’know, it’s okay if you’re not fine,’ his neighbour said in a soft voice. His eyes looked sad.

Loki looked away. ‘I know,’ he said, stiffly. He could almost feel his walls coming up, stretching over his head and folding in like a concrete cocoon. His natural prickly disposition was coming into play. Loki felt his heart sink. Surely now the handsome gardener would stop trying to engage with him.

Instead, he said, ‘I won’t push it.’

Loki looked back up.

The gardener was now fiddling with an awkwardly tall sunflower, tightening green wire around its stem. He avoided Loki’s quizzical eyes. ‘But if you ever need someone to talk to – ’ he paused and gave a playful smile, ‘Someone who isn’t your ‘annoying sponsor’, that is – I’m just next door. Or even if you just need a friendly face.’

Loki found that he rather liked talking to someone who had been through a similar rough time – someone that wasn’t James. And it helped that this particular chatmate was ruggedly handsome. Loki had always been weak for blondes, and this man’s hair was almost as bright as his dazzling smile.

Loki looked at the empty packaging of his Vietnamese dinner. It was obvious even from his new neighbour’s view that he was finished with his food, so no reason to invite him over. And he obviously didn’t have any wine with him –

‘Hey,’ the man interrupted Loki’s thoughts. ‘Why don’t you come over, and I can show you some of my orchids. Maybe give you some tips on looking after them?’

Loki felt a smile slip onto his lips, which stretched wider than they had in months. ‘I’d love to, um..?’

His new neighbour thrust out a hand. A muddy, dirt-encrusted hand. Clearly the gloves hadn’t helped at all. ‘I’m Thor. Thor Borson. Apartment 2D. And your new neighbour.’

‘Obviously,’ Loki said with a quirk of his lips.

Thor laughed.

‘Thor,’ Loki rolled the name in his mouth. Reaching across the threshold, with only the tiniest bit of hesitation, Loki took his offered hand. It was rough, dry, but warm. The opposite to Loki’s slender, chilled fingers. ‘My name is Loki,’ Loki said. ‘Loki Laufrey.’

‘Nice to meet you,’ Thor told him. And it sounded sincere.

**Author's Note:**

> i haven't written fanfic in literal YEARS so be kind lmao. i didn't make this lil thing too complicated, so hopefully one day i can write a longer fic with a bit more complexity to it. but we shall see! this was mostly an exercise in writing for fun again instead of writing for uni so it's barely edited, but i thought that other thorki fanatics might want to have a read!


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